Method and apparatus for a vehicular wireless network

Abstract

A vehicular wireless network is formed by connecting a plurality of sensor devices and automobile subsystem devices to a processing unit with wireless links. Similarly, a vehicular wireless network is formed by connecting a plurality of sensor devices and automobile subsystem devices located in various compartments of an automobile to a signal interface located in the same compartment with wireless links. The signal interfaces and processing unit are then linked by a bus that is installed to run through all the automobile compartments.

1 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a plurality of devices located inside or upon an automobile, with each device possessing a wireless link;    a graphic user interface located within said automobile, accessible to the driver of said automobile; and    a processing unit located within said automobile that exchanges signals with the devices and the graphic user interface via a plurality of wireless links.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said devices comprise a plurality of sensors, including: 
 IR and radar sensors;  
 a plurality of audio and video entertainment devices;  
 a plurality of automobile subsystems including environmental controls, security systems, and lighting;  
 a plurality of transmitters, receivers, and associated antenna; and  
 a plurality of Personal Digital Assistants.  
 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said wireless links comprise analog cellular links, Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD) links, Satcom links, IEEE 802.11 links, and Motorola Bluetooth links.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said graphic user interface comprises a heads-up display.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said processing unit contains a plurality of inertial reference sensors.  
     
     
         6 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a graphic user interface located within said automobile, accessible to the driver of said automobile, and possessing a wireless link;    a plurality of wireless signal interface units located within said automobile that exchange signals with devices and the graphic user interface via a plurality of wireless links;    a processing unit located within said automobile; and    a fiber-optic bus connecting the wireless signal interface units and the processing unit.    
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein said devices comprise a plurality of sensors, including: 
 IR and radar sensors;  
 a plurality of audio and video entertainment devices;  
 a plurality of automobile subsystems including environmental controls, security systems, and lighting;  
 a plurality of transmitters, receivers, and associated antenna; or  
 a plurality of Personal Digital Assistants.  
 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein said wireless links comprise analog cellular links, Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD) links, Satcom links, IEEE 802.11 links, and Motorola Bluetooth links.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein said graphic user interface comprises a heads-up display.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein said processing unit contains a plurality of inertial reference sensors.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein there are wireless signal interface units physically located inside a hood compartment, inside a passenger compartment, and inside a trunk compartment of said automobile.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the wireless signal interface unit located inside the passenger compartment is housed within the domelight of said automobile.  
     
     
         13 . A method for implementing a vehicular wireless network, comprising: 
 wirelessly transmitting input data from a plurality of devices to a processing unit located within an automobile;    wirelessly transmitting input data from a graphic user interface located within the automobile and accessible to the driver of the automobile to the processing unit;    forming a set of output data by processing the input data according to a plurality of communication, situational awareness, and vehicle management functions stored in a computer-readable memory; and    wirelessly transmitting subsets of the output data to the graphic user interface and selected ones of the plurality of devices.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein wirelessly transmitting input data from a plurality of devices includes transmitting input data from a Personal Digital Assistant.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein subsets of the input data received or the output data generated by the processing unit aboard said automobile are transmitted wirelessly to other similarly equipped automobiles to be used as input data for their respective communication, situational awareness, and vehicle management functions.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein wireless transmission comprises transmission over analog cellular links, Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD) links, Satcom links, IEEE 802.11 links, and Motorola Bluetooth links.  
     
     
         17 . A method for implementing a vehicular wireless network, comprising: 
 wirelessly transmitting input data from a plurality of devices to a selected one of a plurality of wireless signal interface units located within an automobile;    wirelessly transmitting input data from a graphic user interface located within the automobile and accessible to the driver of the automobile to a selected one of the wireless signal interface units;    transmitting input data received on said wireless signal interface units to a processor unit via a fiber-optic bus connecting said wireless signal interface units and said processor units;    forming a set of output data by processing the input data according to a plurality of communication, situational awareness, and vehicle management functions stored in a computer-readable memory;    transmitting subsets of the output data to selected ones of the wireless signal interface units via the fiber-optic bus; and    wirelessly transmitting subsets of the output data to the graphic user interface and selected ones of the plurality of devices.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein wirelessly transmitting input data from a plurality of devices includes transmitting input data from a Personal Digital Assistant.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein subsets of the input data received or the output data generated by the processing unit aboard the automobile are transmitted wirelessly to other similarly equipped automobiles to be used as input data for their respective communication, situational awareness, and vehicle management functions.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  wherein wireless transmission comprises transmission over analog cellular links, Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD) links, Satcom links, IEEE 802.11 links, and Motorola Bluetooth links.  
     
     
         21 . A single data bus located in a vehicle, comprising: 
 a front section located in an engine section of the vehicle and interfacing with devices located in the engine section;    a middle section located in a passenger section of the vehicle and interfacing with devices located in the passenger section;    a rear section located in a rear section of the vehicle and interfacing with devices located in the rear section; and    the front, middle, and rear sections of the data bus each transferring data from the devices to other devices located in other sections of the vehicle through the bus.    
     
     
         22 . A bus according to  claim 21  including wireless interfaces coupled to each of the front, middle, and rear sections of the bus for communicating wirelessly with the devices.  
     
     
         23 . A bus according to  claim 22  wherein the wireless interfaces communicate with the devices using an IEEE 802.11 or Bluetooth protocol.  
     
     
         24 . A bus according to  claim 21  wherein the bus is made from a fiber optic material having a first fiberoptic strand that transfers data from any of the devices located in the trunk, passenger, and rear sections.  
     
     
         25 . A bus according to  claim 24  including a second fiberoptic strand that transfers data from any of the devices located in the trunk, passenger, and rear sections.  
     
     
         26 . A bus according to  claim 21  including a controller coupled to the bus for arbitrating data transfer requests by the different devices.  
     
     
         27 . A bus according to  claim 26  wherein the controller automatically detects any portable devices moved into any one of the engine, passenger, or rear sections and enables the portable devices to communicate with other devices coupled to the bus.  
     
     
         28 . A bus according to  claim 22  including locating separate wireless interfaces in the engine section, passenger section, and rear sections so that wireless transmissions from wireless devices in the vehicle will be shielded from the wireless interfaces in the other vehicle sections.